Privacy Policy

Protecting your personal data is very important to us. This policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your data when you use our website, participate in the Photora Awards, or interact with us.

This Privacy Policy complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the German Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG).

1. Data Controller

The data controller responsible for processing your personal data under GDPR and BDSG is:

Unseen Imaging GmbH

Weinbergsweg 5

10119 Berlin

Germany

Email: info@photoraawards.com

info@unseenimaging.com

2. Data We Collect

2.1 Data You Provide Directly

•Account Information: When you register on our website, we collect your name, email address, password, and other contact details.

•Submission Data: If you participate in the Photora Awards, we collect data related to your submissions (e.g., uploaded photographs, category selections).

•Payment Information: Payment details such as credit card or PayPal information are collected through our payment processor (Stripe). We ourselves do not collect or store any payment information.

2.2 Data Collected Automatically

•Log Files: We collect technical data such as your IP address, browser type, operating system, and access times for security and analytics.

•Cookies: We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience and track your activity on our website. For more information, see Section 7 (Cookies).

3. Legal Basis for Processing Data

We process your personal data based on the following legal grounds:

•Consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR): When you give us explicit consent (e.g., for receiving newsletters).

•Contractual Necessity (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR): For fulfilling our contractual obligations, such as processing your competition entries.

•Legal Obligations (Art. 6(1)(c) GDPR): For compliance with tax and other legal requirements.

•Legitimate Interests (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR): To improve our services, ensure security, and prevent fraud.

4. How We Use Your Data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

•To manage your account and process your submissions.

•To communicate with you regarding the Photora Awards.

•To process payments securely.

•To comply with legal obligations, such as tax reporting.

•To analyze website performance and improve our services.

5. Sharing Your Data

We only share your data with third parties when necessary:

•Service Providers: For payment processing, hosting, and IT services (e.g., PayPal, Stripe).

•Legal Obligations: To comply with German tax authorities or other regulatory bodies.

•Consent: If you explicitly agree to data sharing for specific purposes.

We never sell or rent your personal data to third parties.

6. International Data Transfers

If your data is transferred to third countries (e.g., non-EU countries), we ensure appropriate safeguards, such as standard contractual clauses or adequacy decisions by the European Commission, to protect your personal data.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your browsing experience.

7.1 Types of Cookies We Use

•Essential Cookies: Necessary for website functionality.

•Analytics Cookies: To understand user behavior and improve our services.

•Marketing Cookies: To deliver personalized advertisements (only with your consent).

7.2 Managing Cookies

You can manage or disable cookies in your browser settings.

8. Your Rights Under GDPR

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

•Access (Art. 15 GDPR): Request a copy of your personal data.

•Rectification (Art. 16 GDPR): Request corrections to inaccurate data.

•Erasure (Art. 17 GDPR): Request deletion of your data (“right to be forgotten”).

•Restriction (Art. 18 GDPR): Request limits on data processing.

•Data Portability (Art. 20 GDPR): Request transfer of your data to another controller.

•Objection (Art. 21 GDPR): Object to data processing based on legitimate interests.

•Withdraw Consent (Art. 7(3) GDPR): Withdraw consent at any time.

To exercise your rights, contact us at: info@photoraawards.com

9. Data Security

We implement technical and organizational measures to protect your data against unauthorized access, loss, and misuse. These include encryption, firewalls, and secure servers.

10. Data Retention

We retain your data only as long as necessary for the purposes outlined in this policy or as required by law.

•Account Information: Retained as long as your account is active.

•Submission Data: Retained for the duration of the competition and legal retention periods.

•Payment Information: Retained only as required for accounting and legal purposes.

11. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to external websites. We are not responsible for their privacy practices. Please review the privacy policies of external sites before sharing your data.

12. Updates to this Privacy Policy

We may update this policy to reflect changes in our services or legal requirements. The latest version will always be available on this page, with the effective date updated.

13. Contact Information

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or data protection, please contact us: